More by Ashleigh

January, we mean Juan-uary, kicked off Sunday night with a gratuitous Countdown to Juan Pablo special in which we saw host Chris Harrison and producers “surprise” contestants and inform them that not only had they been picked for the newest season of The Bachelor, but that the Bachelor is none other than fan-favorite Juan Pablo Galavis. (Insert squeals, jump-hugs, and dropped jaws here.)

During last night’s main event, we got to finally see our Bachelor — the one and only Juan Pablo — meet each of his 27 ladies-in-waiting. It was the moment women across America had been anxiously awaiting: How many of them would completely butcher the pronunciation of his name the way Desiree Hartstock did during her entire season of The Bachelorette?

From the sound of it, most of the potential brides-to-be had really been practicing the art of saying his name. What they could have spent more time on was coming up with clever ways to introduce themselves. Only one girl, Lauren S., made a dramatic non-limo entrance when she entered the property on a “piano bike” and played him a song.

What happened next might have been the cutest Juan Pablo moment of the night. After her memorable entrance, he raced after her into the mansion because she forgot to tell him her name. Did anyone else think he was racing in for the First Impression Rose?

Juan Pablo endeared himself to viewers even more with his genuine reactions to the girls coming out of the limos. Throughout the night he made several adorable comments like “Oh my gosh” and “Wow, wow, wow.” He was clearly impressed, and maybe a little intimidated, by the lineup of hopeful women the producers had rounded up for him.

Other standout contestants included Nikki, the nurse from Kansas City, who brought a stethoscope so he could listen to the sound of her nervous heartbeat. It may have been weird, but it was cute enough to make an impression and allowed her to keep his attention for some early one-on-one time during the cocktail party.

Andi, the prosecutor from Atlanta, was the last girl to emerge from a limo. This position during introductions could easily go either way, but she made the best of it and immediately put Juan Pablo at ease. Among several standout introductions, seem very relaxed and tension-free. She’s definitely one to watch, and based on previews it looks like she could go far.

Toward the end of the cocktail party, Juan Pablo was sitting down with Sharleen, the opera singer from Ottowa, Canada, who made an instant impression on our Venezuelan bachelor. It was noticeable how taken he was with her after their initial meeting, and although she seemed hesitant about being on the show, he was so impressed with her charm and worldliness that he gave her the coveted First Impression Rose.

Before the rest of the girls could get too jealous, Chris Harrison came in and announced that it was time for the rose ceremony. At first, it seemed pretty obvious who would stay and who would go (ahem, Lauren H. who still seems hung up on her ex-fiance!), but there was one small hiccup. When Juan Pablo extended a rose to Kat (the medical sales rep who asked for salsa dance lessons), Kylie (the now bitter interior designer from Illinois) thought she heard her name and also started walking forward. It was an awkward moment for sure, but in hindsight, I’m shocked that it hasn’t happened before. In case you missed the last three minutes, Kylie left the mansion minus a rose.

What did you think of last night’s episode? Are you thrilled to have Juan Pablo as The Bachelor? Did your favorites make it past the first rose ceremony? Take our polls below and tell us in the comments section!